ACTIVITY 4

AIM
To identify a diode, a LED, a resistor and a capacitor from a mixed collection of such items.

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

Multimeter, a collection of diode, LED, transistor, IC, resistor and capacitor.

PRINCIPLE
A diode is a two terminal device. It conducts when forward biased and does not conduct when reverse
biased. It does not emit light while conducting.
A LED (light emitting diode) is also a two terminal device. It conducts when forward biased and does not
conduct when reverse biased. It emits light while conducting.
A resistor is a two terminal device. It conducts equally in both directions.
A capacitor is a two terminal device. It does not conduct but stores some charge when dc voltage is applied.

(c )

(d)
a)diode b)LED c)resistor d)capacitor

PROCEDURE
1.Check the physical appearance of the component.
2. If the component has two terminals, it could be a resistor, a capacitor, a diode or a LED.
(a) Look for colour bands, if it has a typical set of three colour bands followed by a silver or gold band, the
component is a resistor.
(b) Connect the multimeter terminals (in resistance mode highestrange) to the component terminals and watch
for multimeter deflection. Also repeat by reversing the component terminals.
(c) If the multimeter shows an equal deflection in both the directions, the component is a resistor.
(d) If the deflection is accompanied with emission of light, in one direction and a much less or zero deflection
in the other direction the component is a LED.
(e) If the multimeter does not show any deflection in one direction and shows deflection with no light emission
in the other direction then, the component is a diode.
(f) If the multimeter does not show any deflection on connecting its terminals either way to the component, it
is a capacitor. But if capacitance of capacitor is large, multimeter may show
a momentary deflection.

RESULT
A diode, a LED, a transistor, an IC, a resistor and a capacitor are
identified respectively from a mixed collection.

PRECAUTION
While obtaining resistance of any component, clean its
leads properly.
 ACTIVITY 5

AIM
To observe polarisation of light using two polaroids.

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

Two polaroid sheets, source of light/sunlight, card board, a pair of
scissors, white paper, glue.

PRINCIPLE
Natural light is associated with electric vectors normal to the direction of propagation and lying in all possible
planes passing through the light beam. However, all these vectors can be resolved along two mutually
perpendicular directions Every polaroid has an axis of transmission such that when
the polaroid is placed normal to the path of an unpolarised light beam, the component of electric
vector associated with it and parallel to the axis of transmission is allowed to pass through and the transmitted
light is plane polarised. This can be checked by rotating another polaroid placed next to the first polaroid along
the beam of light, a position comes for which the transmitted intensity vanishes. This position corresponds to
the situation when the axis of transmission of
the two polaroids are perpendicular to each other. When these axes are parallel to
each other, the transmitted intensity attains a maximum value. Hence, the fractional
intensity ranges between minimum and maximum as the two polaroids in the path of light beam are rotated
with respect to each other.

P ROCEDURE
1. Take a polaroid piece P1 (also known as polariser) and hold it in front of your eye and observe light from any
source.
2. Take the other polaroid (also known as analyser) and put it over the first polaroid P1 and observe the light
through the combined system.
3. Rotate analyser to get maximum intensity of emerging light. Note down the difference between scale
readings.
4. Now rotate the analyser so that you get zero intensity of emerging light. Note down the difference between
scale readings.

R ESULT
Polarisation is observed using two polaroids.

P RECAUTION
Care should be taken to handle the polaroids carefully so as not to
leave finger prints.
 ACTIVITY 6

Aim: To observe diffraction at a single slit

Apparatus: A laser torch, single slit slide holder, single slit arrangement, screen.

Theory: Diffraction experiments provide evidence of the wave character of light. Diffraction
phenomena always occur when the free propagation of light is changed by obstacles such as iris
diaphragms or slits. The deviation from the rectilinear propagation of light observed in this case
is called diffraction.

Procedure: Insert a single slit in a slide holder, the diffraction pattern will be observed on the
screen. -Change the slit width and notice what happens to the diffraction pattern.

Result: With decreasing slit width a:

The intensity in the centre becomes (weaker- stronger – remains the same).
The intensity maxima become (broader-narrower) in width.
The distance between the intensity minima (decreases-increases-doesn't change).

Precaution:
1.Use the laser torch properly.